Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.15.21-23
Mukti· LiberationLasting Shelter Lies in Devotional Service
“My dear King, now you are actually experiencing the misery of a person who has sons and daughters. O King, owner of the state of Śūrasena, one’s wife, his house, the opulence of his kingdom, and his various other opulences and objects of sense perception are all the same in that they are temporary. One’s kingdom, military power, treasury, servants, ministers, friends and relatives are all causes of fear, illusion, lamentation and distress. They are like a gandharva-nagara, a nonexistent palace that one imagines to exist in the forest. Because they are impermanent, they are no better than illusions, dreams and mental concoctions.”
What the purport teaches
- The body, family, wealth and other possessions are temporary. Though we may expect protection from them, they cannot provide it.
- The soul must leave its present situation and accept another body. Even a favorable next situation must eventually be given up.
- One must become situated in one's spiritual identity and eternally serve the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a devotee. Temporary possessions cannot give lasting happiness.
Try this today
Spend five minutes in devotional service rather than seeking reassurance from a possession.
Ask yourself
Which temporary possession or relationship am I expecting to give me permanent protection?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.